Grimsby Town vs Manchester United Lineups
Paul DanielGrimsby Town vs Manchester United Lineups & Match Report
On the wet Wednesday evening of 27 August 2025, something happened at Blundell Park in Cleethorpes that English football will never forget. Grimsby Town a proud but modest League Two side knocked Manchester United out of the Carabao Cup in the most jaw-dropping fashion imaginable
: a 12-11 penalty shootout victory following a dramatic 2-2 draw.
It was the first time in Manchester United's entire history that they had been eliminated from a cup competition by a team from England's fourth tier. The result sent shockwaves across English football and dominated every back page, TV programme, and social media feed for days after. "Grimsby Town vs Manchester United lineups" instantly became the most searched football topic in the country and for good reason.
Here is the complete story the lineups, the tactics, the goals, the turning points, and that extraordinary, almost unbelievable shootout.
Match Details
- Competition: EFL Carabao Cup Second Round
- Date: Wednesday, 27 August 2025
- Kick-off: 8:00 PM BST
- Venue: Blundell Park, Cleethorpes
- Attendance: 8,747 (sold out)
- Result: Grimsby Town 2-2 Manchester United (AET)
- Penalty Shootout: Grimsby Town win 12-11
- Historical note: First meeting between the clubs since 1948
Grimsby Town Starting Lineup (4-5-1)
Manager David Artell set Grimsby up in a disciplined 4-5-1 formation not designed to park the bus, but to frustrate, press intelligently, and exploit spaces in behind United'sUnited's defensive line on the counter-attack.
| # | Player | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | C. Pym | Goalkeeper |
| 3 | J. Sweeney | Right Back |
| 5 | H. Rodgers | Centre Back |
| 17 | C. McJannett | Centre Back |
| 21 | T. Warren | Left Back |
| 8 | E. Khouri | Central Midfield |
| 4 | K. Green (C) | Central Midfield |
| 20 | G. McEachran | Central Midfield |
| 18 | D. Burns | Right Midfield |
| 30 | C. Vernam | Left Midfield |
| 22 | C. Gardner | Striker |
Substitutes used: H. Brown (64' for Vernam), G. Turi (64' for Green), C. Oduor (73' for McEachran), J. Kabia (73' for Gardner), R. Staunton (79' for Rodgers)
Manchester United Starting Lineup (3-6-1)
Manager Ruben Amorim used the cup tie as an opportunity to rotate, fielding a mix of fringe players, academy products, and new signings in his favoured 3-6-1 system. Harry Maguire captained the side.
| # | Player | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 24 | A. Onana | Goalkeeper |
| 33 | T. Fredricson | Centre Back |
| 5 | H. Maguire (C) | Centre Back |
| 26 | A. Heaven | Centre Back |
| 2 | D. Dalot | Wing Back (R) |
| 13 | P. Dorgu | Wing Back (L) |
| 25 | M. Ugarte | Defensive Mid |
| 37 | K. Mainoo | Central Mid |
| 10 | M. Cunha | Attacking Mid (R) |
| 16 | A. Diallo | Attacking Mid (L) |
| 23 | B. Šeško | Striker |
Half-time subs: B. Fernandes (for Fredricson), B. Mbeumo (for Dorgu), M. de Ligt (for Ugarte)
Second-half subs: M. Mount, J. Zirkzee
Subs not used: Bayındır, Heaton, León, Casemiro
Match Report: How It Unfolded
First Half: Grimsby Set the Tone
From the opening whistle, it was clear that Grimsby Town had no intention of being overawed by the occasion. The home side pressed with an energy and intensity that visibly unsettled United's rotating lineup. The crowd of 8,747 a sell-out at Blundell Park roared every tackle and clearance as if it were a Cup Final.
The breakthrough came in the 22nd minute. Grimsby worked the ball patiently through United's disjointed midfield before Cameron Gardner held up the ball brilliantly and laid off for a teammate to slot home sending Blundell Park into absolute bedlam. The League Two side were leading Manchester United.
Amorim's side struggled to establish the rhythm and positional structure that defines their best play. United's 3-6-1 looked disjointed in the face of Grimsby's well-drilled pressing traps, and the half ended with the home side deservedly ahead.
Second Half: United's Big Names Arrive
Amorim made wholesale changes at half-time, introducing Bruno Fernandes, Bryan Mbeumo, and Matthijs de Ligt three of United's most experienced performers. The impact was immediate. United levelled and, with Mbeumo a constant menace down the right, began to look threatening.
But Grimsby refused to buckle. They absorbed the pressure with remarkable composure, remaining compact and dangerous on the break. As the match entered its final stages with the scores level at 2-2, the tie headed into extra time.
In the 82nd minute, Bryan Mbeumo gave United the lead but substitute Mason Mount (assist, 89') could not help United hold on as Grimsby levelled once more to force the shootout.
The Penalty Shootout One for the History Books
What followed was one of the most extraordinary penalty shootouts English football has ever witnessed. In a sudden-death marathon, 23 consecutive spot-kicks were converted one after another, nerves of steel on both sides before Bryan Mbeumo struck the crossbar with his second attempt in the shootout.
Grimsby Town won 12-11 on penalties. Blundell Park erupted. The players collapsed on the pitch in tears. Manager David Artell sprinted onto the field. It was, by any measure, one of the greatest cup upsets English football has ever produced.
Reaction
The result sent shockwaves through English football. It was the first time in Manchester United's history they had been knocked out of a cup competition by a fourth-tier side. Widespread soul-searching followed at Old Trafford about the true state of a club that had invested heavily in the summer yet crumbled on a wet Wednesday night in Cleethorpes in front of fewer than 9,000 supporters.
For Grimsby Town, it was the stuff of dreams a moment that will be replayed and retold for generations. For Manchester United, it was another embarrassing chapter in what was already shaping up to be a deeply turbulent season under Amorim.
Key Stats
- Final score: Grimsby Town 2-2 Manchester United (AET)
- Penalty shootout: Grimsby 12-11 Man Utd
- Grimsby formation: 4-5-1
- Man Utd formation: 3-6-1
- Attendance: 8,747 (sold out)
- Penalty kicks taken: 23 converted before Mbeumo hit the crossbar
- Man of the Match: Cameron Pym (Grimsby GK)
- Historical significance: First Man Utd vs Grimsby meeting since 1948; first time United eliminated by a fourth-tier club.
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